Stephen Peters, the Northamptonshire captain, delivered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s shortcomings after an eighth defeat in 10 games – and sixth by an innings – pushed them closer to an immediate return to Division Two.

Sussex needed just five sessions to wrap up victory, leaving Peters to pick up the pieces.

“Confidence is shot to bits which is natural after the run we’ve had,” he said.

“But they are a great group of lads who are still working very hard and there are no cliques.

"I've been in this situation before and seen dressing rooms fall apart when everyone blames each other but that hasn’t happened which is one small positive. The bottom line is, though, that we haven’t played well enough all season.”

Wins in their first two games raised hopes of a return to the glory days of the last decade when they won three titles in five seasons, but they failed to win any of their next eight as a crippling injury list took its toll.

But the gulf in class was evident here, although Sussex coach Mark Robinson – a former Northamptonshire player – had some sympathy for his former county.

He said: “We had a run of playing or travelling for 31 days out of 34 recently and Northants have had something similar themselves.

"When you are in the middle of such an intensive schedule, you don’t get the chance to regroup and mentally recharge. I feel for them.”

Lunch was delayed for 20 minutes to allow Sussex to wrap things up after Steve Magoffin took his season’s tally to 47 with three more victims.

Matt Spriegel was leg before offering no shot, Kyle Coetzer edged a lifter and Rob Newton was beaten by extra bounce as the Australian finished with match figures of eight for 40.

Left-arm spinner Ashar Zaidi took the last two wickets, with Steven Crook offering the only resistance. A week after making 131 at Lord’s he scored the only half-century in either Northamptonshire innings and must surely bat higher than his position at No10 for the rest of the season.

On this evidence, he would do a better job than most of his top-order colleagues who look bereft of confidence and lacked technique to cope with a high-class operator such as Magoffin, who confirmed that he is in negotiations to stay with Sussex in 2015 when his deal expires at the end of the season.

“We were pretty ruthless,” Robinson said.

“We showed real courage to get through the first day when bowling conditions were so good. When you score 400 you're always in the pound seats and then Steve bowled as good an opening spell as you will see in their first innings.”

England and Wales Cricket Board pitch inspector Bill Hughes was present for the second successive day and although the occasional delivery continued to misbehave no further action will be taken.